1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of cogeneration systems. Cogeneration is the production of two energies from one fuel source. For example, the two energies can be electricity and heat or electricity and air-conditioning. Open cycle air-conditioning operates by dehumidification of incoming air and then cooling the air through a heat exchanger and thereafter cooling the dry air through an evaporative process so that cool air is exhausted into the room. The room air is recirculated back into the air-conditioner so that it pre-cools the incoming fresh air before it is exhausted out to the atmosphere. A major advantage of the open cycle air conditioning system is that a constant supply of fresh and filtered air is delivered to the space which is being cooled while conventional closed systems merely recirculate air from the room where the air is being cooled. The present invention utilizes cogeneration combined with open cycle air conditioning to provide a self contained system which generates electricity, hot water and heated and air-conditioned air.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, open cycle air conditioning systems which use desiccant material to absorb moisture from the air are well known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,180,985 issued to Northrup, Jr. in 1980 for "Air Conditioning System With Regeneratable Desiccant Bed" as the title states discloses an air-conditioning system with a regeneratable desiccant bed. In this invention, the desiccant material is carried by a continuous belt with "waste heat" serving to remove moisture from the desiccant material. U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,860 issued to Coellner et al. in 1986 for "Open Cycle Desiccant Air-Conditioning System And Components Thereof" discloses an open cycle air-conditioning unit with improvements in the desiccant wheel and improvements in the heat exchanger wheel portion of the unit.
Overall cogeneration systems for heating dwellings are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,055 issued to De Cosimo in 1977 for "Complete System For A Home Air Heating And Cooling, Hot And Cold Water, And Electric Power" discloses such a complete unit. The system however is used with a conventional evaporate water cooling system wherein an electric engine is electrically powered from a generator, the electric engine drives a compressor in a cooling circuit with a cooler and a condenser. This cooling system is connected by a pump and a pipe to a spray head located inside an air duct for spraying the moving air duct with cold water to cool off the same. Furthermore, the system does not provide any means to control the electrical or thermal output to match the facility demand. In De Cosimo, there is also shown a gasoline engine which serves to power an electric generator to produce electric power for the building. Hot exhaust gases from the engine pass through a heat exchanger to heat water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,378 issued to Tharpe et al. in 1977 for "Integrated Electric Generating And Space Conditioning System" shows a system wherein vapor from an expander or rotary prime mover is conveyed to a heat exchanger serving to heat fluid such as water or air. The rotary prime mover also powers an alternator serving to produce electricity. The rotary prime mover or expander may also serve to power a compressor to provide air-conditioning. Once again, the air conditioning is supplied in a conventional closed cycle apparatus. The system serves to supply electricity, heat and power to drive the compressor.
The following prior art reference also disclose various types of cooling systems:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,910 issued to Hood et al. in 1983 for "Multi-Stage Indirect-Direct Evaporative Cooling Process And Apparatus".
2. U.S. Pat. No. 2,239,886 issued to Feldbush et al. in 1941 for "Power Plant Refrigerating System".
3. U.S. Pat. No. 2,339,903 issued to Alexander in 1944 for "Refrigerating Apparatus".
4. U.S. Pat. No. 2,491,314 issued to Hopkirk in 1949 for "Turbogenerator Cooling System".
None of the prior art disclose any type of apparatus which can be used in conjunction with an open cycle air-conditioning/heating system for efficiently providing electricity, heat and air-conditioning from a single fuel source. In addition, none of the prior art references disclose a system which can be used in junction with the existing heating and cooling system of a facility to provide an overall more efficient use of the system. In addition, none of the prior art references disclose a system where the amount of electrical or air-conditioning output is controlled to match the facility demand.
Present day heating and cooling systems for facilities such a restaurants are extremely inefficient. Power is used during the peak times of the day when it is more expensive and the system does not provide for a method of utilizing power during non-peak hours when it is less expensive. In addition, present day systems require use of power throughout the day and in the evening for even when the facility is closed, burglar alarms, refrigerators and other operations which require power must be kept operational. None of the cited references disclose a system wherein a cogeneration system can be used in conjunction with an existing electrical and air-conditioning facility to provide an overall more efficient system that can accommodate facility load fluctuation, including electrical, cooling and heating.
Therefore, a significant need exists for an efficient cogeneration system which can generate electricity, heat and air-conditioning from an open cycle air-conditioning system. A further significant need exists for such a system which can be used in conjunction or to supplement the existing heating and air-conditioning system of a given facility.